Takaful was ready, and he rolled

ELMONT, N.Y. – Takaful, a last-minute entry, made quite the first impression last Saturday at Belmont Park, winning his debut by eight lengths while running more than two seconds faster than another division of a maiden race for juveniles.

Showing good speed away from the gate, Takaful went gate to wire under Jose Ortiz and ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.82. That time was 2.10 seconds faster than Lead Astray’s final time in winning the other division earlier on the card.

Takaful, a son of Bernardini owned by Shadwell Stable, earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said he had always been high on Takaful but was not expecting a big performance the first time out. Neither were the bettors, as Takaful went off at 12-1 while McLaughlin’s other entrant in the race, Adonis Creed, finished next to last at 4-1.

“This horse was earmarked from May as our best,” McLaughlin said of Takaful. “I didn’t think he’d run like that.”

McLaughlin said he only entered Takaful when the racing office decided it was going to split the race into two divisions.

“I thought he needed a little more gate work,” McLaughlin said. “He was obviously overready. That’s how the game is. If I was so smart, I wouldn’t get up at 4 a.m.”

McLaughlin isn’t sure where Takaful will run next. The Grade 2, $300,000 Remsen is run at 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct on Nov. 26, but McLaughlin isn’t sure he wants to stretch him out that far off one 6 1/2-furlong race.